What Is and What Might Have Been
by Misha
Summary: Two wedding days for Veronica Mars, the one that is and the one that might have been...


What Is and What Might Have Been  
By Misha

Disclaimer- I don't own anything to do with "Veronica Mars", I really wish I did, but I don't. It belongs to Rob Thomas and the UPN. I'm not making any money off of this, so please don't sue me.

Author's Notes- I've had this idea in my head for sometimes. It's set in the future sometime after "Donut Run". It's sweet and sad, a mix of fantasy and reality and I like how it turned out. The stuff in italics is fantasy by the way, while the rest is reality. That's all, I hope you like it!

Pairings- Veronica/Duncan, Veronica/Leo.

Summery- Two wedding days for Veronica Mars, the one that is and the one that might have been...

Rating- PG-13

Spoilers- Up to "Donut Run".

* * *

Veronica stood in front of the mirror, assessing her appearance. She didn't look as starry-eyed and fairytale-ish as she might have once, but she looked acceptable. Definitely bride material.

Her hair was down, pinned back slightly by white-rosebud clips, and she wore no veil. Her dress was simplistically elegant, floor-length and spaghetti-strapped white satin. She would carry a bouquet of white roses and lilies, her own unspoken tribute to one who could never be there.

_Veronica stood in front of the mirror, assessing her appearance. "How do I look?" She asked with a frown._

"Like the perfect fairy-tale princess." Lilly assured her. "Just like you're supposed to look; after all in half an hour, Prince Charming's going to sweep you off into the sunset."

Veronica giggled and smiled dreamily. She assessed her appearance one last time and decided Lilly was right, she did look properly bridal. Her hair was up in an elegant twist and white rosebud clips held her frothy veil in place. Her white satin gown was right out of a fairytale, with it's full skirt and sweetheart neckline. She would carry a bouquet of white and pink roses, her favourite flowers.  
  
"Hey Veronica, you ready?"

Veronica turned from her reflection to answer the question. Her two bridesmaids stood there, waiting for an answer. "Yeah, do I look bridal enough?" She questioned.

"You look awesome." Mac answered with a grin.

"Definitely." Laura, the other bridesmaid and a friend of Veronica's from college, answered.

"Everyone decent in here?" Wallace, Veronica's "man of honour" called out, before entering.

"All decent." Veronica reassured him.

"Damn." Wallace said playfully, then he looked at her. "You look great, girl."

_"So how do I look?" Lilly, the maid of honour, of course, asked with a grin, striking a pose._

"Fabulous." Veronica told her. "How could you look anything else?" "

That's true." Lilly said with a grin. ìI am pretty fabulous, arenít I?î

ìAlways.î Veronica assured her with a laugh.

ìThough, for once, I have to admit that Iím background.î Lilly said, looking at Veronica. ìNobodyís going to be able to take their eyes off you, Veronica. Especially not the groom.î

Veronica giggled. ìGood, thatís how itís supposed to be.î

ìSo is my groom ready?î Veronica asked Wallace, whoíd gone and gotten ready with the groomsmen. 

ìHeís ready, willing and eager.î Wallace assured her. ìHe loves you.î

ìI know.î Veronica said softly, smiling the smile of a woman who knows sheís loved.

Five more minutes. Five more minutes and sheíd walk down the aisle to the man she loved. It wasnít the perfect love she had dreamed of when she was younger, it wasnít sweet or innocent and she didnít love him completely, parts of her heart belonged to others, but it was special.

The girl she had been would always love others, but the woman she was loved him deeply, it was real and passionate and sincere.

_ìIs Duncan ready?î Veronica asked her mother, who appeared in the dressing room to help Veronica finish getting ready._

ìReady and anxious.î Lianne assured her. ìOh, Veronica, you look so beautiful. The perfect bride.î

ìThanks.î Veronica said softly, she giggled. ìI canít believe Iím about to be Mrs. Duncan Kane.î

ìNeither can I.î Lianne whispered, a shadow in her eyes that Veronica didnít understand.

Veronica pushed that out of her look and just concentrated on her joy. This as the day sheíd always dreamed of. Sheíd loved Duncan as long as she could remember, he was her Prince Charming and this was their happily ever after.

It was all perfect.

ìIs there a bride in here?î Keith asked, entering the room.

"Right here." Veronica said. He looked at her, tears in his eyes.

"You look beautiful." He told her.

"Thanks Dad." Veronica said, feeling a little teary-eyed herself.

"I guess it's time." Keith said and held out his arm.

Veronica took it and they left the little chamber, waiting for the moment to follow the bridesmaids and Wallace down the aisle, towards the man she loved.

"I love you." Keith whispered as he prepared to walk her down the aisle.

"I love you too." Veronica whispered emotionally. "I'll always be your daughter, I promise."

"I know." Keith said, squeezing her hand. "But, as hard as it is to admit, it's time for me to share you. He's a lucky man."

_"You look beautiful." Keith said, taking a good look at his daughter._

Veronica smiled. "Thanks Daddy." She blinked. "Is it time?" 

"Almost." Keith told her and then looked at Lilly and the bridesmaids. "You guys should go take your places." 

They nodded and headed out the door of the little room, leaving Keith and Veronica alone.

"I love you." Keith told her a little teary eyes as he looked at her.

"I love you too, Daddy." Veronica said, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

Keith swallowed and then smiled. "You ready to go make Duncan the luckiest man alive?" 

Veronica walked down the aisle on her father's arm towards the man she loved.

He wasn't her first love and there were parts of her heart that belonged to other men, but she loved this man now and she would love him for the rest of her life.

He'd been patient, waiting for her, even when she chose other loves, other men. But in the end, she'd come to realize how special and amazing he really was and today she was about to become Mrs. Leo D'Amato.

Veronica reached the end of the aisle and her father put her hand in Leo's.

_Veronica walked down the the aisle on her father's arm, her eyes focused on the man waiting for her. Her Prince Charming, her one true love. Duncan._

She beamed as she walked towards him, towards her life with him. She'd loved Duncan for as long as she could remember, he was her fist and only love and she had dreamed of this day for years.

Back in the eighth grade, she'd scribbled Veronica Kane on her notebooks, just to see what it looked like and today it was going to happen.

Keith placed her hand in Duncan's and Veronica looked up at her prince with adoring eyes.

"Do you, Leonardo D'Amato, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, until death do you part?" The priest asked Leo.

He smiled warmly, his eyes focused on Veronica. "I do."

The priest looked at Veronica. "Do you, Veronica Mars, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, until death do you part?"

"I do." Veronica said, her gaze focused on Leo's. She wanted no one other than him, was so thrilled to be sharing her life with him. He was everything.

_"Do you, Duncan Kane, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife in sickness and health, for richer or for poorer, until death do you part?" The minister asked Duncan. _

"I do." He said, without hesitation, his adoring gaze focused on Veronica.

The minister turned to Veronica. "Do you, Veronica Mars, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, until death do you part?"

"I do." Veronica said quickly, beaming at Duncan. She had been waiting to say those words for years and now it was finally happening. She was finally becoming Duncan's wife.

It had always been meant to be and now it was. Her fairytale was having it's happy ending...

A part of Veronica felt a bit sad, for those that weren't there with her. Lilly, dead ten years now. Duncan, gone for almost eight. Logan, out of her life for almost as long.

She had once never imagined getting married without them, they had been integral to every fantasy she'd had about her wedding day as a young girl, but in the here and now it mattered less. Oh, she missed them, would always miss them, but she had built a life that didn't include them.

Veronica smiled at Leo as they were pronounced husband and wife. She had a good, strong, happy life. It wasn't what it was, but it was still good.

The truth was, everything else had just been a fantasy and while, a part of her would always mourn it's loss, the reality was better than any fantasy because it was real.

Besides, she wasn't that girl anymore. The fantasy belonged to the Veronica Mars that was, while reality belonged to Veronica D'Amato and she wouldn't have it any other way.

The End


End file.
